Tablets

The fastest-growing category of portable computer is the tablet, which in 2011 accounted for some 15 percent of the market. A fiercely competitive market has developed, as Apple's competitors queue up to try and topple the iPad from its dominant position and gain traction in the developing BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) IT landscape.

Introducing the new Cyntur JumperPack Mini, a small, portable 12,000 mAh lithium-ion battery pack that not only has a 2.1 Amp fast-charge USB port, but also sports jumper cables that can be used to jumpstart 12 volt cars, trucks, SUVs, boats, or even snowmobiles.

The United States government has given the public access to its massive analytics database, and the results are fascinating. What share does the Mac really have? Is Windows 8.1 a hit or a miss? Who's winning the browser wars? I've dug deep to get the answers.

Integrated videoconferencing, whiteboarding and content sharing could make the forthcoming Windows 10-based Surface Hub a contender in the collaboration market. Much depends on the as-yet unannounced...

The iPad is a capable tool for work but requires good apps to provide the needed functionality. These 10 apps will go a long way to meeting the needs of most iPad users. You can't work all the time so we threw in a hot new game for down time.

First Impressions: This keyboard case for the iPad Air 2 is a solid investment for those wanting to use the tablet for work. It features a unique ability that makes it one of the most versatile options currently available.

At the Google I/O developers conference, the company rolled out updates for its Honeycomb tablet OS, announced the Ice Cream Sandwich mobile phone OS, and debuted new music-streaming and movie rental services.

Despite being on medical leave, Apple CEO Steve Jobs steps back in the spotlight to show off the 2nd generation of the iPad tablet. Shipping on March 11, the thinner, lighter iPad 2 is also faster, and it comes with two cameras.

At Hewlett-Packard's event in San Francisco today, Senior Vice President and GM Jon Rubinstein shows off the company's long-awaited tablet. Running WebOS, the TouchPad features a 9.7-inch screen and is designed to work in conjunction with the company's WebOS-based smartphones.

At the company's event in San Francisco this morning, Dell showed several new models of laptops, desktops, and workstations, as well as a prototype of a 10-inch Windows 7-based tablet due later this year.

Tablet computers may be the gadget of the moment, but what if you could turn any surface in your home into an interactive hot zone? Intel's Oasis technology recognizes ordinary objects instantly and transforms bathroom or kitchen countertops into touch screens. ZDNet's Sumi Das gets a cooking class courtesy of these smart counters.

Nicholas Negroponte touts the importance of tablets at Mobilize 2010 in San Francisco. The One Laptop Per Child founder says physical books are too expensive, take up too much space, and are hard to update for the developing world. He says the next step is for kids to use tablets to make things instead of just using the devices for consumption.

Adobe's active, pressure-sensitive Ink stylus and passive Slide ruler are nicely designed and integrate well with the Creative Cloud ecosystem. However, it's a pricey bundle, and the Ink stylus currently does not work satisfactorily with Apple's latest iPad Air.

Acer's latest take on multimodal computing is hard not to like, although few users will employ all of the usage modes. However, potential buyers should note the Aspire R13's limited SSD storage and sparse collection of ports, and the fact that the stylus is only an optional extra.

Dell's Inspiron 13 7000 Series supports laptop and tablet modes, and shines in the screen and storage departments. We're less impressed with its build quality and battery life, though, and would appreciate an Ethernet port.

The Nexus 9 is the first tablet to run Android 5.0 (Lollipop) and offers excellent performance plus impressive sound quality. There are drawbacks, though, including some build quality issues, a tendency to run warm and a premium price.

The iPad Air 2's performance enhancements will appeal to those who run graphically demanding apps, although Apple's quest for thinness comes at the cost of reduced battery capacity. Last year's iPad Air remains a good option, but the Air 2 will be the power user's choice.

Samsung's copious software add-ons and UI tweaks mean that the Galaxy Tab S delivers a particular kind of Android experience. We have a few issues with some of these extras, but the slimline Galaxy Tab S is still a very impressive tablet.

If you need a Windows 8.1 computer that's flexible enough to be a tablet, a laptop (if you add the optional keyboard) and even (if you add the optional docking station) a desktop PC, then the Surface Pro 3 manages the trade-offs as well as anything on the market.

If you're looking for a rugged Windows 8.1 tablet that's relatively compact and lightweight, Panasonic's 7-inch, 540g, 18mm-thick Toughpad FZ-M1 is a good option. It's expensive, though, and battery life could be better.

This affordable 8-inch Atom-based (Bay Trail) Windows 8.1 tablet has a nice IPS screen and delivers all-day battery life under light usage modes. Limited screen size, internal storage and processing power will prevent it from being more than a companion device for mobile professionals though.

The 10.1-inch Transformer Book T100 is a well made and attractively priced hybrid Windows 8.1 tablet. However, its moderate specification and small size make it difficult to recommend as your primary Windows device.

The 10.1-inch Android-based Transformer Pad TF701T has a decent specification, including a quad-core processor, a high-resolution screen and good battery life from its tablet and keyboard batteries. The design could use a refresh though.